


Wild Bunch in Tokyo

by RussianSunflower3



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cats, Crows, M/M, Tortoise, hamster - Freeform, superhero au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 02:10:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5609881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RussianSunflower3/pseuds/RussianSunflower3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sequel to 'A Hamster would be a better superhero!'.</p>
<p>On the run from Miyagi Institute, Karasuno runs into trouble in Tokyo.<br/>At the same time, Noya and Asahi are having important realisations.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wild Bunch in Tokyo

Karasuno had stayed on the train until it terminated at a station far from where they had left. The amazing feeling of freedom and the elation they had felt from breaking out of Miyagi Institute had long given way to exhaustion. Nishinoya was pretty sure that he was the only one still awake, even as the booming announcement came over the train speakers, instructing all passengers to leave. He huffed. Waking them up would be as easy as poking them and giving each a minor shock, if only he wasn’t in Asahi’s lap with strong arms wrapped around his waist. Those damn nullification powers prevented him from doing his job. He did, however, have a backup plan. If he couldn’t shock them with his electrical sparks, then there was always his voice.

“HEY GUYS, WE’RE ABOUT TO GET OUR ASSES SMACKED.” The rest of the team jolted awake with various degrees of panic and alarm, fearing they had been discovered by other Superhero groups. The threat was all too real, and if they were ever located, Karasuno would be dragged back to Miyagi Institute to be put under more secure measures. They’d already wasted time locked up in a basement; they didn’t want to go back there. Never again. Sugawara was the first to realise that Nishinoya was lying. He angrily puffed his cheeks out, delivering a brief smack to the side of Noya’s head. As long as he still had physical contact with Asahi, Noya was vulnerable to his teammate’s physical rebukes. 

“Owww! Suga, that’s mean!”

“What’s mean is that you almost gave us a heart attack! Why on earth would you do that?”

“Oh yeah, we have to get off the train.” Standing calmly nearby as if Noya hadn’t woken them all up in a fright, Tsukishima pressed the button to open the doors. Before he could step out, Daichi grabbed his arm.

“Wait. We don’t know if there are wanted bulletins out for us, or people searching.” With a groggy groan as he stirred from beside Asahi and Noya, Tanaka looked out a window at all the people streaming past.

“... We can totally hide in that lot. S’long as Asahi keeps hold of Noya, and I got enough mints, we’ll be fine.” 

“Yeah! We’ll blend in easily!” All heads turned to Hinata, whom was still excitedly bouncing on the spot. It was inevitable, provided that his super power _‘failure’_ meant he never stopped moving. In this case, however, it may prove to be their doom. The only one whom could stop Hinata bouncing like that, was once again, Asahi. On the condition that he hadn’t died from the resulting cardiac arrest following Noya’s announcement earlier. 

“O-Oi, Asahi...” The big bear was still partially hidden behind Noya, as if that would help him in a battle situation. Suga sighed, gently leaning in to place a comforting, encouraging kiss on his cheek. His strange healing power, which came only from physical affection and a strong bond of trust, did the trick in helping Asahi to relax. He gave a weak smile, releasing Noya from his lap. 

“So... We’re not under attack?”

“No, that was Nishinoya being a little shit again.” Daichi’s statement brought a few amused huffs whilst Ennoshita tried to lecture Noya in the background. Something about appropriate comments and not killing the team. 

“We need to leave the train. Unfortunately, if we all leave in one big group, we’ll definitely be discovered. So, we’re going in smaller groups. Groups of... 3? 4? Anyways. It’s absolutely certain that you’ll have both Nishinoya and Hinata with you. They can’t stay hidden if one’s giving off sparks and the other literally hitting the ceiling.”

“R-Right...” Asahi’s voice betrayed his internal panic. He was timid and shy and not good with crowds. On top of that, having to deal with the excitement of both Nishinoya _and_ Hinata? He could have cried on the spot. Daichi seemed to notice the apprehension and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Groups of four, then. Ennoshita can tame Noya quite well, I’ll ask him to join you.” Daichi left to do so, having to dodge one of Nishinoya’s eagerly flailing arms so he didn’t receive a nasty shock. With everyone busy talking in excitement about seeing things, and getting back to society, Asahi was the only one to notice Tsukishima and Yamaguchi slip off the train casually. They probably hadn’t overheard Daichi’s statement about travelling in groups, and they had no reason to discuss their freedom with the others. After all, they’d only been at Miyagi Institute for a few months, nothing compared to a few years. Timidly, Asahi tried to call out to them, but a glare from a passing business man had him duck back into the train carriage with a small _‘eep’_. 

“U-Umm, Tsukishima and Yamaguchi just walked off...” In the hubbub of the carriage, his small voice was lost. 

“They- They just exited the train by themselves...” Still, he went unheard. He glimpsed out the open train doors, catching a glimpse of Tsukishima’s blond hair vanishing into the crowd of the main hall. Now, it was an emergency. He summoned all his confidence and raised his voice with a hint of desperation.

“We’re missing two people!” Shocked at his volume, Karasuno looked to him. When the weight of his words sank in, two things happened. Yachi, Hinata, Suga, Tanaka and Noya mildly panicked, either freezing on the spot or crying out for details. Daichi, Kageyama, Kiyoko, Ennoshita, Narita and Kinoshita looked around to evaluate the situation and unearth who was missing. They came to the same conclusion pretty quickly. As the team-appointed leader, Daichi immediately snapped into action.

“Yachi, I need you to invent something that can detect beings with super powers! Team up with Kiyoko, Suga and I, we’ll lead the first group to look for them! If we’re not back in five minutes, I want the next group of Kageyama, Tanaka, Narita and Kinoshita to come after us. Asahi and Ennoshita, you lead Noya and Hinata outside the station, keep an eye out in case they’ve already left!” There wasn’t any thought in the back of Asahi’s mind to complain about being left with these two hyperactive teammates. It was all a matter of finding the two whom had disappeared. At least Ennoshita would be there to help.

The first group left, Yachi having adapted a phone camera into the device Daichi had asked for. The Kanji incantation would only last up to three hours, but Asahi prayed that they would only need it for a few minutes. The excited chatter had now dulled, and with the absence of 6 members, the mood started to turn gloomy. The remaining 8 sat in worried silence.

Nobody knew what awaited them outside the train carriage. They had no idea if they were being searched for, or if Miyagi Institute had contacted other superhero centres. Even more risky, was if the public had been alerted to the ‘dangerous’ teenagers on the run. Anyone could report them. Essentially, there were enemies everywhere. Asahi sunk lower in his seat, a tiny whimper escaping at the thought. A small hand pat his leg in an attempt at comfort, Noya sitting on the floor at his feet and holding onto his ankle so that he didn’t spark. Asahi managed a small smile at him, genuinely touched that Nishinoya was attempting to reassure him. The boy grinned back with a thumb up.

“We’re heading out now. You’d better get to the front of the station. Will you be okay until we meet up again?” Whilst the question was directed at Ennoshita, an answer was warranted from all of them. Nishinoya and Hinata both replied with a loud agreement, almost blasting Narita away with the volume. Kinoshita had a much calmer response from Ennoshita, and then a nod from Asahi. With that, the 8 filtered off the train. To nullify both Hinata and Noya’s powers, Asahi had to remain in contact with them both.

Somehow, this had translated into giving Hinata a piggy-back whilst Nishinoya held one of his hands. Ennoshita walked closely behind in case Hinata should fall backwards. Occasionally, whenever Hinata leaned back a little in awe, Ennoshita would send a gust of wind his way that righted the small boy’s posture. Asahi was grateful for the cooling feeling the wind burst inflicted on his back. His hand, wrapped around Noya’s, was getting increasingly sweaty. At the very least, he could blame it on the heat from the crowd, or nervousness at getting caught by people trying to catch them, but he knew it was different. His heart palpitated, his eyes darting to Noya every now and then before returning to scanning the swarm for Tsukishima and Yamaguchi.

Asahi Azumane was a superhero teen with a crush.

“Ooh~! Look, the sign says the exit is that way!” Hinata’s excited squawking pulled Asahi from his thoughts, and he gulped down the words of admiration that may have escaped if he kept staring at Nishinoya.

“Thanks Hinata, I didn’t see that~.” He followed the signs, thanking Hinata each time no matter if he’d seen the sign first or not. The ginger boy was much like an immature child, thriving on praise, and occasionally giggling with self confidence. Asahi wished he could share some of that confidence. Maybe then, he could confess. 

As they stepped out of the train station, Asahi took a minute to breathe in the fresh air. He hadn’t had a chance to do this before, because they’d been escaping from the institute filed with a rush of adrenaline, fear and excitement blocking their senses. Now, he could inhale deeply and take in all the beautiful fragrances of this world. Even those scents that didn’t seem overwhelmingly important, scents that a normal person would ignore, filled him with delight. The perfumes and colognes of passer bys, the faint lingering coffee on the breeze, from a little cafe not too far away, the detergent used to clean the station entrance, mixing with the bustling Tokyo traffic fumes, tinged with mowed lawn from the grassy patches nearby. There was no rain, which Asahi had secretly been hoping to see, hear, feel, and smell, but he knew that would come with time. It took his eyes a small minute to adjust to the brightness, having just come from inside. It didn’t help that he’d spent three years in a basement lit only by small, yellow bulbs. 

“Asahi? Are you okay? Your jaw is kinda hanging lose.” He shook away his amazement and smiled down at Nishinoya.

“S-Sorry! I was just thinking... It’s been so long since we’ve seen a blue sky.” Indeed, the sky above them stretched for miles in every direction, a gradient of pale to pastel blue, painted with the odd cirrus cloud formation, as if someone had taken a paintbrush and swiped part of the sky away. It was a beautiful sight for someone who had last looked up at the heavens over three years ago. Nishinoya followed his gaze, breathing out the same awe. On the other hand, Hinata made a bored sound.

“I don’t care about clouds, I want to see a volleyball court! We could play!” Ennoshita cleared his throat with the same kind of authority as Daichi, and the three instantly turned to him with a mumble of their apology.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” 

“I don’t know, are we?” Before Asahi could answer Hinata with an air of exasperation, Nishinoya suddenly cried out with a strangled noise of recognition.

“Tsukishimaaaaaa! What were you running off for, you bastard?!” Asahi yelped as Nishinoya marched over to Tsukishima, meaning that he was dragging Asahi along too. Hinata almost fell from Asahi’s shoulders, if Ennoshita hadn’t quickly pushed him back up. They must have looked a rather funny sight to the people still exiting the station. Tsukishima held his hands up flat in mock surrender, a smirk on his face.

“Don’t blame me, I was just accompanying Yamaguchi.” From behind Tsukishima, the younger poked his head out with a faint blush. In this light, instead of in their poorly-lit basement, Asahi could see that he had _freckles_. It was a reminder of how much Yamaguchi must have spent time outside before he’d arrived at Miyagi Institute. 

“S-Sorry, I really had to pee and nobody was going anywhere, so I took the initiative...” Suddenly, someone delivered a swift Karate chop to his head. Obviously, it wasn’t too hard because he only whined and winced.

“Owie.” Asahi glanced around to find that the other two ‘rescue teams’ had met up and joined them outside. Sugawara moved to stand in front of Yamaguchi, lecturing him for not telling anyone where he was going, Tsukishima doesn’t count because he went too, and never to do that again, they didn’t know how dangerous it was. In the end though, he only ended up giving the younger a hug and a ‘welcome home’. Asahi suspected it was something to do with the kicked-puppy look Yamaguchi had mastered. The only one immune was Tsukishima, and surprisingly, Tanaka. Even Nishinoya, who was seemingly oblivious to many things, wasn’t immune to that sad little look. 

Thinking about Nishinoya, Asahi’s eyes drifted down to him again. He was still holding their hands together, preventing himself from sparking and giving off shocks. It didn’t seem to be working, as Asahi’s heart fluttered every time Nishinoya laughed or smiled, as if the electricity had gone straight to his heart. He knew that wasn’t precisely what was happening, but he liked to have something to blame it on.

“Then, let’s get going. We still need to find somewhere safe we can shelter. Karasuno, move out!” Daichi led the way marvellously, like a brave soldier exiting the trench and entering the battlefield. Nishinoya might have been the loudest cheer that followed, jumping up slightly in excitement, but never letting go of Asahi’s hand. He didn’t want to be the reason they were discovered. He didn’t want them to _be_ discovered, full stop. Launching into conversation with Tanaka, Nishinoya almost missed some of the amazing things there were to see. Hinata’s constant state of amazement drew his attention to everything important though. 

So far, he’d seen seven Tokyo towers, three Mt Fuji’s, and the magical railway that floated! Nishinoya chose to ignore each time Tsukishima told them they were wrong. That beanpole just _loved_ to be a party-pooper. The walk was starting to become strenuous, and even as the skies darkened and Karasuno started to wear down, Daichi led the way onwards. Eventually, someone was going to break.

“My feet hurt...” At Tanaka’s statement, there were murmurs of agreement. Daichi sighed, his shoulders dropping.

“I know, but we haven’t found anywhere safe yet.” Sugawara placed a gentle hand on his arm.

“We can’t keep pushing them like this, Daichi... Look how exhausted they are...” A glance swept over them. Only Nishinoya truly looked like he could continue on. Yachi had already practically passed out earlier on, and Tsukishima had lifted her onto his back, pretending like he wasn’t a secret sweetie. Yamaguchi would probably tease him about it later, if he wasn’t walking half-asleep. He kept stumbling, Ennoshita having to tug him back to consciousness. Hinata had fully conked out, slumped over atop Asahi’s shoulders and snoring into his ear. Kageyama rubbed tiredly at his eyes whilst Narita tried to cover his yawn, supporting Kinoshita whom leant against him heavily. Tanaka was tired enough that it didn’t look like he’d taken a mint in a while, his skin starting to burn and cracks of magma showing through splits on his arms. They could be mistaken for scars, but the team knew better. Kiyoko hung near the back, constantly checking around for somewhere that would be large enough for them all. Suga had bags under his eyes, and Daichi would admit that he could feel his muscles starting to protest further movement.

“... We won’t be sheltered, but we’ll have to just... Find a park or something. Tanaka, take one of your mints. Tsukishima, are you familiar with this area? Do you know where a park is?”

“Yoyogi Park should be just ahead. We’ll see another station, Harajuka, before we see the entrance. If we go past Meiji shrine, we’ve gone too far.” Daichi nodded in thanks and respect, leading the way once more. Luckily, it was hard to miss such a grandiose entrance. Karasuno trickled in through the entrance and found themselves in the centre of Yoyogi Park, collapsing onto benches around the large and beautiful fountain. Not even Tsukishima was complaining at their current situation. Quite happily, Asahi lay across a flat wooden bench with the intention of being someone’s mattress for the night on the streets. He wasn’t expecting Noya to suddenly roll atop him, face to face. 

“Yo~.”

“A-Ah, umm, hi?” He was grateful for the dark that hid his blush as Nishinoya quite casually wriggled until he was comfortable.

“You’re so warm and comfy. Plus, I can totally snuggle up to you and not kill you. Which is cool.”

“That’s... Nice? I- I mean, it’s cool, yeah. Please don’t accidentally kill anyone.” Nishinoya laughed unabashed, just pressing his cheek against Asahi’s shoulder comfortably.

“As long as you’re here, I won’t~.” Before Asahi could summon a response, he was aware that Nishinoya had started to breathe softer, his body going limp as he succumbed to sleep. With a faint smile, Asahi wrapped his arms around him, shielding the smaller being from the cold night air.

“Sweet dreams, Noya~.” He stared back up at the sky, watching it turn darker, before the lights came alive. Little stars, spreading across the universe, reminding them of how insignificant they truly were. Earth may have discovered how to give the gift of super powers, but it was far from perfect, and Asahi reckoned there were many things out beyond the Milky Way, far more breathtaking than superheroes. The corners of his lips twitched upwards, exhaling a cloud of condensation through his nose as he relaxed. The stars were beautiful. Having not seen them for 6 years, to witness them now was remarkable. They reflected in his eyes, little sparkles of light dancing throughout the pools of chocolate brown, moved around by the water that had suddenly gathered from observing something so awe-inspiring. For some reason, he was reminded of the time when he had chosen his orb.

_They’d told him that when he closed his eyes, he’d see a field of orbs, and that he’d find one perfect for him. Currently, all he could think to do was run. These orbs were all so huge, and cold! They were intimidating and scary. He didn’t want any of these, they just didn’t feel right. Asahi tripped over his shoelace, falling onto his front. He lay there with his eyes closed and arms folded in front of him, trying to block out the bright orbs all around him. They were so cold... As he started to shiver, Asahi thought to push himself up and find an exit. It was as he looked up that he noticed a tiny little speck floating in front of him. It was completely dwarfed by the larger orbs, and Asahi would have missed it if he hadn’t been on the same level. Something about this tiny orb drew him in, like it was a part of him that had been missing. As he reached out and brushed his fingers over it, he felt the warmth radiating from it. The orb shied away, much like Asahi himself would have done if someone strange tried to grab him. He softly smiled, not sure why he felt so comfortable with this orb, why he was comparing it to himself._

_“It’s okay, I’m scared too. Maybe we’ll be less scared together? Please, come with me.” The warmth on his fingertips suddenly spread throughout his whole body and he knew that the orb had accepted him, just as he had chosen it. With a bright smile, he closed his eyes to the world of orbs and reopened them in the Training Room._

“Ah!” He rubbed at his eyes and looked around. Asahi hadn’t even been aware that he had fallen asleep. The comforting night sky had given way to dawn, the cloud up above streaked with colours of the sunrise, colours Asahi had missed dearly. He gazed upon them fondly until the sky returned to the same shade of blue it had been yesterday. Glancing around, he noticed that he was not the first up. Kiyoko and Yachi were sitting on the edge of the fountain, dipping something into the water. He presumed it was the shirts of the other awake members, considering they were topless. Those people were Hinata, whom was doing laps around the fountain to keep moving, Kageyama, whom nibbled on one of the muesli bars he must have ‘purchased’ at the train station, and Suga. 

The silver haired beauty sat closest to Tanaka, who had a tendency to completely crack overnight. Hot lava poured from huge gashes in his skin, and he coughed out fiery sparks in pain. He didn’t wake, accustomed to sleeping through the agony after so many years. Suga’s face was tugged into a wounded expression of his own. Even with his super power, there was nothing he could do for the boy who bled magma. He’d tried many different things, but had ended up burnt each time and Tanaka’s condition had only improved by a minor amount. They’d stopped searching for ways when Yachi had arrived, and crafted the all-important mints. But those were only useful when Tanaka was awake and able to take them. Seeing one of his teammates literally melting in front of him pulled at Asahi’s heartstrings. It was hard on all of them, and the person who suffered second most was Nishinoya. 

Having to see his best friend go through this torture every morning fuelled Nishinoya’s hatred towards Miyagi Institute. They had done this to all of them. Treated them like they were going to save the world, made them feel like they mattered, and then messed up the process. They’d put Karasuno through heartbreak and misery, given them super powers that could kill them or harm others, faults that they couldn’t control. Then, as young teenagers and children, had exiled them to a dingy basement. Nishinoya didn’t blame the individual scientists. He didn’t blame the kids who were blessed with super powers that did work. He partially blamed the Council for their stupid decisions, but he mostly blamed the Japanese Government. The ones who financed institutes like Miyagi, who gave the go-ahead on a procedure that could potentially ruin lives. Asahi inhaled sharply, before he moved Nishinoya around in his arms and stood. He carried Noya over to Tanaka and Suga, never losing physical contact.

“Suga, are you okay?” The mole at the side of his eye crinkled as he looked away, cringing.

“... I wish I could do more to help him.” Asahi sighed, crouching down next to him and brushing their shoulders together.

“I know. But... I think he’s happy enough to wake up to a familiar face~. It lets him know we all care.” Even from this angle, Asahi could see Suga’s lips twitch upwards before he turned to face them and gave a bright, honest smile.

“Y’know, for someone so timid, you sure say some bold things!”

“Th-Thanks? I guess?” Suga laughed lightly, brushing his shoulder back against Asahi’s.

“Go and get your shirt washed~. We’ll stick out like sore thumbs if we walk around dirty clothing.”

“Oh, good thinking.” Asahi wandered over to Kiyoko and Yachi, offering a quiet _‘good morning’_ , before Kiyoko asked for his shirt, and Nishinoya’s too, if it was possible. Asahi very happily handed over his own, making sure that he had Noya propped up against the fountain base, his leg hanging down to keep contact. Nullification was such a pain when it could only be done by touch. As he reached down to remove Noya’s shirt, however, he froze. A bright crimson blush spread over the tips of his ears and neck, slowly spreading as he came to the realisation that _he would be undressing Noya_. 

It shouldn’t have been such a big deal, he tried to persuade himself. He’d seen Noya shirtless many times, and teammates occasionally ran into each other in their small showering unit, desperate to all have hot water rather than be left without. He wasn’t exactly going to do anything to Noya, so it wasn’t even as embarrassing as bathing together. Something still stopped Asahi in mortification though. He nervously reached down to grab the bottom of Noya’s shirt.

“Ngn...” Jolting his hand back as if he’d been shocked, (Which could never happen to him, only to others,) Asahi realised that Nishinoya was waking up. Most of him was relieved that he wouldn’t have to undress him, but a tiny, perverse part of him was disappointed. He mentally kicked that part into nonexistence. Bright eyes looked up at him, blinking away sleep rapidly.

“... Asahi? I thought we were on a bench?”

“A-Aha, we were, but Kiyoko and Yachi need our shirts for washing... If that’s okay?”

“Oh yeah, sure~.” With no qualms whatsoever, Nishinoya removed his shirt and passed it up to Kiyoko with a bright grin. She didn’t smile at him in response, but Asahi noticed the small tug at the edge of her lips when she turned back to washing. Kiyoko never _ignored_ the two enthusiastic boys who made every attempt to woo her, but she didn’t dare engage them directly for the discomfort of being harassed. Kiyoko very much kept to herself and awfully few others, something of an introvert. With light conversation taking place between those awake, and Hinata causing quite a draft as he ran past, the other members started to wake. 

Kinoshita wandered over to Tanaka and Suga’s sides, using his super power of crafting ice from air in an attempt to cool down the rapidly rising fever that Tanaka would be suffering from. It would soothe his splitting wounds too, to a miniscule effect. The lava puddle that had been gathering below Tanaka started to harden quicker into basalt rock. Narita kept deconstructing them with clicks of his fingers, but he would only be able to keep it up for so long. 

Daichi was next to awake, which disrupted the two using him as a pillow. Yamaguchi whined and clung around the comforting warmth, whilst Tsukishima just grunted and glared at the ground as if it had purposefully been made too hard to sleep on comfortingly. In a fatherly manner, Daichi ruffled Yamaguchi’s hair and softly pushed him over to Tsukishima instead. He didn’t complain, quickly latching onto the new body and settling into him. Asahi had a feeling that Tsukishima may have been playing music through him. Something peaceful, like a lullaby or piano music. 

Whatever it was, Asahi watched as Tsukishima smirked and he instantly felt a pang of pity for Yamaguchi a split second before the boy yelped and jolted up. He stumbled backwards and fell over Ennoshita, whom was just sitting up. After being winded, ironically, Ennoshita offered a sleepy smile to Yamaguchi who kept apologising over and over. Things seemed to resolve themselves with that small group, and Asahi turned his attention to Noya, who tugged on his trouser leg.

“Hm?” 

“D’you know where we’re going today? Last night was fun, but we’re all going to get sick if we can’t find shelter.” Noya had a surprisingly good point, and Asahi paused for a moment to think. It was true that they would get sick if they didn’t have anywhere to stay, especially if their t-shirts didn’t dry in time, but they had no money and going home was too dangerous.

“I don’t know. I think we’re just going to keep looking.”

“Damn... It would be so cool if we could stay at a hotel! We could have comfy beds, and food that doesn’t come out a tin, and room service! Oh, and maybe there’d be an onsen nearby! I wonder if there are any festivals too, that’d be so fun!” Asahi listened in much amusement as Nishinoya rambled on, about things he wished they could do, places they could go. It was fun to talk about it, but a pit in Asahi’s heart panged as he knew they would never get to do these things. These wishes Noya had would never be fulfilled. 

“Noya...? Maybe- Maybe we could make our own fun and adventures? I think... It wouldn’t be safe for us if we were reported to the Institute. They might send Dateko after us. Or- Or Aobajousai, or worst of all, _Shiratorizawa_...” Two little hands pat him on each cheek, squishing his face together. Noya was looking him directly in the eye, his usually loud and playful expression painted with quiet understanding.

“Hey. You need to quit worrying. We’re gonna be okay, Asahi. I’ll defeat any guys who try and take my friends away from me.” The noise Asahi made in agreement was heavily distorted by the shape his face had been forced into, and Noya burst out laughing as he released Asahi’s cheeks. Asahi couldn’t help but softly laugh along, loving the way Nishinoya’s smile reached his eyes, the way his dimples showed with every bright laugh, or the way he absolutely shone, like one of the stars that Asahi had been staring at last night. He wanted to tell Noya how beautiful he was, but Asahi knew that would just make things awkward. The words were on the tip of his tongue, his lips ready to part and spill out his true feelings, but he was thankfully interrupted. 

“Asahi, your shirt is clean and dry~!”

“O-Oh, thank you!” He took his shirt from Yachi, please that she seemed happy and much less anxious than usual. It probably had to do with the fact that whilst they were in public, there was currently no strangers around. Even more so, with the blue sky stretched above them, the morning chorus of birds, and the water gurgling in the fountain next to them, it was perfect for relaxation. Asahi’s shoulders relaxed, just enjoying the moment. He noticed that Daichi was tensed, continuously scanning the area. 

He was on guard, prepared for Karasuno to be tracked down at any given moment. It was an all too real threat. As soon as Miyagi Institute realised they were missing, for all their sneakiness, there would be superheroes from all over Japan hunting for them. They’d be painted as heinous villains, corrupted individuals that were a hazard to human kind. For a second, Nishinoya leant away from Asahi to pick up a coin from the pavement, and he erupted with static sparks. He jolted back into position and frantically looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Luckily, the park was still abandoned. Asahi briefly wondered if there were time restrictions in Yoyogi Park, and they weren’t meant to be here. What if they were sticking out? What if there was CCTV? What if they were being traced and tracked, right this instance?

“Asahi...? Asahi. Asahiiii!!!!” He shook his head and almost fell backwards into the fountain water as he realised Noya was practically nose-to-nose with him. The small boy grinned brightly once he saw focus returning to Asahi’s eyes.

“And you’re back in the land of the living!” He beamed as Asahi nodded, feeling his heart give a little flutter. Noya laughed unabashed, shimmying off Asahi’s lap to sink back into place by his feet. 

“You missed Daichi saying we were moving out soon~!” 

“O-oh?”

“Yeah, we’re heading south! Apparently we’re really close to Tokyo Institute here, so we gotta get moving before they send people out!”

“A little too late for that, Ka-ra-su-no~.” All eyes turned to the centre of their group fast enough to incur whiplash in a few members, and they watched as Hinata struggled against an invisible force holding him tightly. As much as he wriggled and squirmed, he couldn’t break free, and it looks like the hold was getting tighter around his neck. 

“Hinata!” The invisible area around Hinata’s neck shimmered as little pebbles were thrown at the exact spot where it was estimated a human hand or arms would be. Kageyama’s Casualty Perception came in very handy in these instances, but it was once Hinata was _released_ that the problems started. Because when nobody could see the attacker, nobody could actual defend themselves. Karasuno held their breaths, standing in an instinctive fight-or flight posture. Occasionally, a natural breeze would brush someone’s clothing and they’d jump. 

Only Tsukishima seemed to be unaffected, standing quite casually, hands in pockets and headphones pulled up around his ears. After about a minute of standstill, he lazily pulled one hand out and sent a blast of sound waves that literally brushed past Asahi’s ear and he squeaked in surprise before hearing a sharp cry of impact behind him, followed by a splash. He whirled around, hugging Noya tighter unconsciously, and set his eyes upon a grinning teenager who couldn’t have been any older than himself, Daichi and Suga. 

The idle look of content on the boys face reminded Asahi of the cat who got the cream. His messy black hair, now thoroughly drenched, hung mostly over one side of his face and defied gravity in others. His grin was directed straight to Tsukishima as he stood up in the fountain.

“So there is someone who can use their powers here~. This won’t be as boring as I expected.” The figure vanished again and Asahi felt fear for the blond, before Tsukishima just rolled his eyes, bent his arm over his shoulder, and shot another sound wave that sent the teen shimmering into visibility and tumbling over backwards. It looked like it had been quite painful, and Asahi almost winced in sympathy. Almost. The knowledge that this superhero attacked his family stopped him feeling more than a minimal amount of compassion. Barking out a laugh, the teenager stood and brushed imaginary dust off his shoulders.

“So this is the strength of a Failure! Ah, how unexpected.”

“Ts-Tsukki isn’t a failure!” The intruder set his eyes upon Yamaguchi. He instantly shrunk away from the gaze, stepping to behind Tsukishima. 

“Tsukki, huh. Cute nickname.”

“It isn’t yours to use.”

“You don’t seem like the type to give your name to an enemy, but I quite like to know who I’m fighting!” The stranger lunged and shimmered invisible again, before Tsukishima just tapped his foot on the ground. The concrete rippled and cracked as he sent music through the material, spreading out in a circle around him. It somehow avoided every member of Karasuno and Noya echoed Hinata’s sound of awe. The careful manipulation of such a talent was always impressive to see. The ripples returned back towards Tsukishima and he opened his golden eyes to show intense focus.

“There are 9 of you. That would indicate that you are a member of Nekoma, Tokyo’s first reaction superhero group. You see, _Kuroo Tetsurou_ , you’re not the only one who likes to know his opponent. The difference is, I have the upper hand.” The boy - Kuroo – blinked in surprise, a little taken aback, before he laughed.

“How amusing! Hooo boy, I’m really looking forwards to this fight.” He cracked his knuckles, and those mischievous, alive eyes suddenly went cold and dead. He had finished warming up. It didn’t how much Tsukishima had seen Nekoma’s battles broadcast on TV, it was so much different when actually in the battle. But he had a secret weapon. 

Yamaguchi had never been the type to just watch something he obsessed over. He researched. He learnt. He _knew_. Even with everything he had learnt before, about every superhero he aspired to be, there was still new information entering his mind with every glimpse he caught of Kuroo, the Nekoma captain trying to throw their guard off by appearing in random places. Yamaguchi flicked his gaze to him each time, his mind catching onto an algorithm that Kuroo was using, even if he didn’t know it himself. It was in that instance that Yamaguchi realised his superpower wasn’t just Karasuno.

“The fountain. Big tree. Lamppost. Recycle bin.” With each whispered destination, Tsukishima would send a boom of sound. It was the least effort possible, but it was working. Eventually, Kuroo stood just in front of him, near scowling.

“How is this possible? You’re _rejects. **Failures**._ How are you able to keep up with me?” Tsukishima didn’t answer. Just as Kuroo looked like he was about to resort to physical violence, a quiet voice intercepted.

“Shouyo...?”

“K-Kenma?!” All attention turned to where their most excitable member was bouncing on the spot, yet his expression frozen in shock. He was looking directly at a boy with two-tone hair, fumbling his hands together beneath his oversized hoodie sleeves. The shock was mirrored on his face, just not as pronounced. Daichi was the first to recover from the interruption.

“Wait, you two know each other?” Hinata nodded.

“We went to middle school together before Kenma moved to Tokyo an’ I signed up to Miyagi Institute!”

“M-Mhm... Shouyo was my best friend...” There was an awkward pause on both sides of the battle. Kuroo drew himself up to a casual position, scratching at the back of his head.

“Well. This complicates things.” Nobody quite knew how to respond, not even Hinata, who approached his once-best-friend with an air of caution. They were frozen in a deadlock. Much to Asahi’s horror, it was Noya that broke the tense situation as always.

“So, like, are you gonna let us go or what?”

“Hmm... Nope~.” Water slithered over Asahi’s shoulders to wrap itself around him and Noya, prompting the bearded teen to shriek like he was about to die. Well, technically... Asahi cursed his flaw in his mind. Whilst he could nullify a _person_ using their powers, he couldn’t actually nullify the effect itself. Body contact with the water wouldn’t stop it, unless he could find the person controlling the water. He took a deep breath as the water enveloped him in a bubble, distorting the sound of Karasuno calling for him. Then, he saw Noya’s devious grin. He blinked with surprise, but the shorter only pushed at his arms and Asahi understood.

_Water is a conductor of electricity._ He released Noya from his protective embrace, and the infrastructure of the water bubble boiled and fizzed as electricity streamed through it. With a splash, the two were dropped into the fountain. The electric shock had stunned Asahi , but Noya quickly grabbed his wrist to stop the effect whilst they were both in ankle deep water. A member of Nekoma wasn’t so lucky. Having taken the shock directly through his power pathways, he had fallen from the top of the fountain where he’d been hiding, staking them out. As soon as the bubble drowning Asahi and Noya had lit up, Kuroo had reacted. His eyes had widened and he’d lunged towards the fountain with his arms outstretched.

“YAKU!” Even though it resulted in winding himself on the concrete edge of the fountain, he’d managed to slip a hand under the smaller boys head before it impacted the hard surface. Kuroo first breathed out in relief, and then turned to Karasuno with a **livid** glare. There was something terrifying about seeing such an expression on someone who could easily take them out.

“Nobody... _Nobody_ hurts my team!” Asahi was close enough to see the fear and protective instinct flaring up in Kuroo’s eyes. He could feel Noya almost trembling against him in dismay at what he’d done.

“I- I’m sorry... I didn’t know it was that powerful, I- I! I’m sorry!” Fearing for Noya’s life as cold eyes turned to him, Asahi held the boy he crushed upon a little closer. 

“Let me see him.” Suga had moved closer, rolling up his sleeves. He didn’t even flinch as Kuroo whirled around to snarl at him. The medic just stared at Kuroo with determination. Eventually, the captain of Nekoma, the teenager in charge of a group of superheroes, relented, if only for the slim chance to help out his teammate- no, his friend. His family. Noya was struck by how similar their circumstances were. Although it varied dramatically in places, it all came down to the same route cause. 

They were all merely teens, not even finished battling exams, and they’d been tricked into becoming ‘saviours of Japan’ by the government. They were victims of their own desire, their willingness to escape school and mundane life, preyed upon by higher powers that forced them into a life they couldn’t escape. Karasuno had been branded failures and trapped in a basement. Nekoma had been branded heroes and trapped fighting powerful attackers. Strangers had been flung together, torn from their families and friends, to risk their lives in something they had once admired. 

Karasuno had found family within each other. _Nekoma_ had found family within each other. Noya swallowed down a lump of guilt and apprehension. He really hoped he hadn’t accidentally killed this boy, this brother of a superhero group. He watched as Suga gently checked the boy over, stroking down the electrical burns that spanned his skin, a remorseful gaze upon his face before he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to the boy’s hand, which was charred over and splayed with bolt-like patterns of white hot blisters. With each brush of his lips against the irritated skin, the swelling diminished and the blisters disappeared. Kuroo watched them vanish with an unreadable expression. Finally, once the boy- Yaku – appeared fully healed, he looked up to Suga with confusion mixed amongst other mingling feelings that made him appear more vulnerable than he ever could be.

“... Why...?” Suga only tilted his head to the side with a small smile and contemplative hum, leading Asahi to believe that the fair-haired vice had absolutely no fear when there was someone nearby who needed help. Kuroo repeated his question.

“Why would you save him after-...?” 

“Because Nishinoya didn’t mean to hurt him that badly. He doesn’t have the level of control to determine the strength of each shock yet. Had this been a life or death situation, I would still heal him. We’re just kids, we don’t want to kill.” From where Kenma had moved to grab onto Hinata, practically hiding behind his vibrating friend, scared of an actual battle breaking out, a small voice piped up.

“He- He’s telling the truth, Kuro. They just want to be normal...” He knew this from when he’d clung to Hinata, and latched onto a neural transmission. He’d read Hinata’s deepest desires, learnt of his intentions, and seen the dim basement that his friend had been incarcerated in for all these years. His heart had panged with the echoing statement of Hinata’s soul, demanding to see the world, to be free, to never be wrongfully imprisoned again. Kenma had seen it all in the blink of an eye.

His superiors had given orders for them to capture Karasuno, defeat them if necessary, but for Kenma to keep wide range. They’d said it was because Karasuno was dangerous, villainous, and thirsty for blood. The truth painfully rung in Kenma’s head, his genius leading him to only one conclusion. He’d been ordered a wide berth so that he wouldn’t make physical contact. So that he couldn’t read their desires. _The Tokyo Institute council were demonising Karasuno, and didn’t want the truth to be known._ Unfortunately for them, Kenma had disobeyed this once. He never would have if he hadn’t seen Hinata. Had Hinata not been there, he would have allowed his teammates to drag these ‘crows’ back to the institute, living or dead. 

The close bond, the blood oath that Nekoma had taken upon their formation, allowed Kenma to transmit his entire monologue across to Kuroo. Often, he found that NNRAT, Neural Network Reading And Transfer, was an amazing skill to have as a strategist. Even if it meant his teammates unconsciously sent across... Indecent... Thoughts or images sometimes. Kuroo inhaled slowly through his nose, and the exhale no longer formed a cloud of condensation as the morning began to heat up.

“I see... Well, we don’t have much choice, do we?” Karasuno begun to unconsciously move in towards each other, huddling in a circle as other figures appeared from the shrubbery and trees in Yoyogi Park. They were surrounded on all sides. Dripping wet, Asahi didn’t stop to shake himself off as he clung to Noya. He couldn’t risk the overzealous boy attacking anyone out of animal instinct or, more accurately, being provoked. He was somewhat glad that Tanaka was awake enough to have comprehended the situation, but far too lethargic to start throwing threats around. As it was, he glared nastily at a Nekoma member with a fuzzy Mohawk. 

Daichi was swift to give him a smack on the shoulder and a hissed warning not to cause trouble. He was so much like a father in many ways, assuming a role that Asahi knew was absent in Tanaka’s life even since before Miyagi Institute. The Nekoma members all looked around at each other. Despite not being pleased by Yaku laying unconscious in their leader’s arms, they could hear Kenma telling them they were NOT to attack, under any means. Then, eyes widened. Mohawk-guy was the first to speak up.

“Kenma, are you serious?! We’re not just letting them go, we’re _helping_ them?!”

“We’ll be branded traitors!”

“They’ll send other groups for our blood, are you really intent on doing this?” A tiny nod answered both Mohawk-guy and a sensible looking shaven teen. That shaven teen sighed under his breath.

“Alright. I’m not happy about this, but... We’ll help them.” The blond in Kuroo’s arms stirred slightly and he moved to place Yaku’s feet on the ground, holding him up with an arm around the waist.

“Yaku? Yaku, can you hear me?” Knuckles in a loosely enclosed fist tapped against Kuroo’s cheek.

“Stop worrying, you idiot... I’ve had worse whilst training Lev.” That drew a chuckle from the majority of Nekoma, sans the tallest guy who squawked, much like Hinata. Asahi couldn’t help but notice his hair was a shade greyer than Suga’s and he had this intense stare, like he was peeling you apart with claws. His effect, however, was dulled by the excitable brunette next to him who seemed to have engaged himself in a conversation with Hinata. Asahi didn’t understand a word, but he didn’t seem to be the only one as he heard Tsukishima chastise them for not knowing Japanese. He whirled around as someone stepped on his heel accidentally.

“A-Ah! Sorry! I’m sorry!”

“It- It’s okay, really~...”

“I- I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!” Asahi thought that for the first time, he’d found someone more nervous and apologetic than himself. As he frantically tried to smooth things over, making the younger boy even more hysterical, he could hear laughing and sniggering from behind. The tips of his ears heated up as he realised both Karasuno _and_ Nekoma were laughing at them. He distinctly heard Daichi talking to the shaven teen.

“- Like a father and his anxious son.”

“Looks more like a kid and his kidnapper to me.” A hearty laugh, soft was followed up by the teen offering his hand to Daichi in friendly greeting. Both had somewhat pleasant smiles touched with paternity on their faces.

“Kai Nobuki. Please to make your acquaintance.”

“Sawamura Daichi. Same here.” They shook hands, and Asahi stood back up straight to notice that the rest of the team seemed to be bonding, unexpectedly quickly. He wondered why until he noticed Yamaguchi sitting on a bench and grinning brightly. For the longest time, Asahi had been able to see these almost invisible threads that attached Yamaguchi to Karasuno, and now he could see more of them, reaching out to Nekoma and latching on. As the threads tangled together, the atmosphere became much less tense, and the groups had soon integrated to the point that it looked like a meet-up between normal teenagers, in an average park.

Asahi wondered why other people couldn’t see the threads, but he was quickly distracted by Noya attempting to sneak away. He wasn’t too hard to spot, considering the constant sparks he gave off. Asahi nervously latched onto the back of his collar before he could throw himself into a tackle at Tanaka, who seemed to be ‘bro-bonding’ with Mohawk guy. (Sometimes Asahi was thoroughly disturbed by the whole ‘bro’ routine.) 

“Asahi! I wanna go join in!”

“Have you forgotten what happens when I’m not nullifying you...?”

“... Oh...” Noya puckered his lips in like a fish in guilt at the realisation. 

“Just, uh, hold my hand?” Not aware that Noya was quite that strong, Asahi was literally pulled off his feet as Nishinoya grabbed his hand and ran towards the two. It may have also been because he was somewhat shell shocked from Noya’s proposition. Even though it was necessity, it had sounded more like a shy request from a forthcoming date. The bashfulness of it, coming from someone like Noya, had caught Asahi off guard and left him stuttering before he almost hit the floor, stumbling to keep himself upright. He managed.

Barely.

Within minutes, Asahi had been dragged around and knew all of Nekoma’s names off by heart, as well as getting a general feel for their personality. He found it amusing how Kuroo had seemingly latched himself to Tsukishima, an arm coolly slung around his shoulders and grinning cunningly as he used Yamaguchi’s nickname for him. The brunette didn’t look too upset, instead snickering at his friend’s plight. Tsukishima, however, looked very bothered, perhaps more than when Noya and Tanaka had first started being their normal double-act around him. Feeling a little dazed, Asahi sat himself next to Yamaguchi, making sure that Noya was still holding his hand. Their freckled companion beamed at them from a side glance, welcoming their presence.

“Yamaguchiiii! Why aren’t you minglin’ with the men~?!”

“I’m a little shy in large groups, Noya-Senpai~. After all, I only had Tsukki for a matter of years. It took me about a month to adjust to Karasuno...”

“Seriously? But these guys aren’t scary at all! They’re pretty cool now they’re not trying to kill us!”

“That’s nice to know~. I’ll integrate in my own time. For now... Don’t you think you should apologise for wearing Asahi out~?” Bright eyes turned to Asahi and he went to dismiss the claim before he noticed Noya flicker his eyes over Asahi’s body and face, evaluating his exhaustion.

“Ahh! Sorry Asahi!!! I got carried away!” Again, before Asahi could dispel any of Noya’s worries, Yamaguchi was right there. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye that the 17 year old wasn’t sure he should be wary of all not.

“You can make up for it, you know~.”

“Eh? How?” Asahi didn’t lean in to hear the words Yamaguchi whispered into Noya’s ear. That was probably his first mistake. It was only seconds later when chapped lips brushed against his cheek and he stiffened in his seat. He could feel heat pooling on his face. Was he turning crimson? He was pretty sure his head might explode, if his heart didn’t first. Then, there was a more persistent pressure on his cheek, a real kiss that couldn’t have been accidental in any way. Asahi promptly fainted, completely overwhelmed. Noya had kissed him!

“Oopsie~.”

“Wh- What have I done?! Asahi?! Oi, Yamaguchi, you said that would work and- Come back here!” With a cackle, Yamaguchi had skipped away to _finally_ save his friend from Kuroo. Noya just whipped his head round looking for some way to wake Asahi up. It looked like everyone was getting ready to move, but what on earth had caused him to faint like that?! 

It could have been the heat, but there had been hotter days in the Miyagi Institute basement. It could have been... Shyness? But Asahi had been doing fine before! Noya stared at him for a little bit, until his eyes widened comically wide.  
_The kiss._ Honestly, Noya hadn’t quite believed it when Yamaguchi had whispered that it would help Asahi recover his exhaustion, but he wasn’t going to deny the opportunity to actually do something to the older. Yamaguchi had given him the perfect excuse to do something he had always wanted. After all, Noya was a superhero with a supersized crush on his superb friend. He hadn’t realised, until this very second, that Asahi might possibly, even just a little, perhaps like him back. He’d fainted from a kiss. On the cheek. Noya felt his own face heating up. 

“Oh my GOD, he likes me back!!!” His statement, shouted out with sheer disbelief, was met with laughter from Karasuno and confusion from Nekoma.

“Took ya long enough!” Noya pouted, flipping his middle finger at Tanaka and wishing that he had the super power of melting, so he could disappear through the gaps in the bench. Confessing in front of Asahi? He’d been hesitant about scaring him off. Confessing in front of Karasuno? No problem. Confessing in front of strangers who had just tried to kill his family and didn’t know the situation. Awww-kward. 

He scowled at the situation, but refused to move from Asahi’s side. After all, if he was released, he’d accidentally send bolts of electricity scattering through his new friends. He couldn’t risk ruining a bond that had saved their lives. It still filled him with guilt that he had almost taken one. His eyes darted over to the blond water-manipulator he had attacked earlier. Thanks to Suga, he was almost completely healed, but Noya didn’t miss the hidden wince from when he tried to reach upwards and smack his tall companion round the head. Green cat-like eyes flickered with what Noya instantly recognised as plasma. _He uses electricity too!_

“How many times have I told you to shut up now, Lev?!” The boy laughed, clear as day.

“But Yaku, you really do have a _short_ temper!” Before Yaku could whack him again, there was a loud clap from the front of the pack. Noya only realised after looking that it had been two people, Daichi and Kuroo, clapping at the same time to draw the attention of their teams.

“Everybody get ready, we’re moving out!”

“These guys don’t know Tokyo, so we’ll be leading the way to safety.”

“Please take care of us!” As Daichi bowed respectfully towards the gathering, intending for the members of Nekoma, the Karasuno superheroes turned to the red-clad superhero who was closest and repeated what their captain had said. As Tsukishima and Yamaguchi came over to help carry Asahi, Noya could hear them characteristically bantering back and forth.

“- almost missed him three times, because you’re so _slow_.”

“Excuse you, but it was _you_ who was slow. I was waiting for you to locate him.”

“Don’t call me slow! You’re the French tortoise.”

“Ah. You’re going back to that. Well... If you’re a hamster, is it really safe for you to be here?” Yamaguchi tilted his head innocently to the side.

“What do you mean, Tsukki?”

“The other team is Nekoma. ‘Neko’ meaning cat. Don’t cats usually eat hamsters~?” Noya couldn’t hold back his laugh as the two propped Asahi between them, letting Noya handle Asahi’s ankles so that he didn’t drag along the floor.

“You guys are funny! But you’re kinda right! We’re a gathering of Cats, Crows, a Tortoise and a Hamster!” Noya’s statement had been loud enough for the heads of the pack to hear and Daichi shook his head in amusement. Kuroo grinned and perched his hands on his hips as he gave a directive order.

“Wild bunch, let’s take over Tokyo!”


End file.
